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Friday, November 15, 2013

We need to find better ways to prevent midair collisions between birds and airplanes. So far, American agencies have mainly hazed and killed unwanted birds around airports. However, experimentation in other countries suggests that avian-detecting radar and methods to alert birds to an aircraft's presence may prove more effective.

A plan to make power lines safer for endangered California Condors is running into opposition from residents for aesthetic reasons.

Some bird species in the northern hemisphere have begun to shift their migration schedules earlier in the spring in response to climate change. According to a new study of Icelandic Black-winged Godwits, this is because chicks that hatch earlier survive better than ones that hatch later. Individual birds have not changed their migration times.

A study estimated that 600,000 bats were killed at wind turbines last year. The precise number is hard to determine; it could be as high as 900,000. Deaths occur mainly when bats are hit by moving blades, but in some cases sudden changes in air pressure might be fatal. Several solutions are currently being tested.

A recent study of modern and fossil DNA suggests that dogs were first domesticated in Europe. However, other recent studies have pointed to origins in China or the Middle East, so there is not yet a consensus.

A 90-car train carrying 2.7 million gallons of crude oil derailed and caught fire in Alabama. The damage to surrounding wetlands is so far unclear.

In local news, a rabid fox was found in the vicinity of College Farm Road in New Brunswick. This is the 14th rabies case in Middlesex County this year. Also, a pumpkin-launching catapult was found in the beach in Laurence Harbor, an occasional birding site.